Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1887-01-28

small frame building porchod on q lofty foun.
dation OF rough stones, which was once occu.
pied MS u land office by General Rufus Putnam,
the founder OF Ohio, and the man to whose
memory the pcopl5 OF tho Ave great States
that were carved from the Northwest Territory
should raise n proud and colossal monument.
General Putnam was a remarkable man. He
has been confoundcd in the popular mind with
his cousin, General Israel Putnam, who had
the adventure IN tho VOLTS den, and who nc
quircd good deal of notorioty through that
incident. General Rufus Putnam, the man
who first conceived the idea OF establishing q
Territory in what was then called the unknown
empire of the West, seems TO have been u man
Of fur greater resources and ability. II VIC are
10 Judge by results, he certainly has accom-
plishcd n vast deal more than the wnrincst
partisan CT General Israel Putnam could hope
in Justice TO claim for him. The war of the
Revolution developed good many strong, reso-
Lutte and patriotic men, hut not one of them
nftcr the war did moro for the future OF this
country than Rufus Putnam.
He was born In Massachusetts, and enjoyed
no early advantages. His father died when he
was but littlc moro than seven years Of age,
and shortly after that timc he was taken TO
live with stcpfathcr, who was an illitorato
man and who despised books and learning. He
refused TO send Rufus TO school, and denied
him the privilege of studying at home. His
innate aspirations were cOldly frowned upon,
and every effort that he put forth for the acqui-
sition of knowledge was rdiCucd without
mercy. His stepfathcr was an innkeeper,
and Rufus sometimes earned few pennies by
looking after the horses. These earnings he
invested in an old gun, with which he killed
game for tho market. The proceeds OF these
sales purchased n spelling book and an arlth-
mctic; but obstacles were stll thrown in his
way. He was not allowed to have candle for
use in the long winter ovonings;, and his as
socintcs never forgot So ridicuo him; but the
thirst for knowledge was strong within him
and his duuntlcss spirit wus intensified by the
barriers that were thrown about him. He
struggled on In n pathetic way, and in later
years writing OF his early life he said after
was ninc years old only went 10 school three
weeks in all. He was essentially n selfmnde
man. In his sixteenth year he was apprcntced
TO Daniel Matthews of Brooiflcld, TO learn the
trade of millwright. "By him. Rufus Put
nam says, my education was as much neg
lected rs 10y my step-father except that he did
not deny the use of light for study in winter
evenings. l turned my attention chiefly to
arithmetic, geography and history; had been
rs much engaged in learning TO write well,
with spelling and grammar, might have been
much better qualified TO fulnll the duties of
the succeeding scenes OF life which, in Provi-
dence, l have been called upon to pass
through" AT nineteen, a loro OF military glory
possessed him, ana he became soldier in the
French and Indian Wars of 1155. In lI13 he
made an expedition to Florida. Two years
later he had taken up his sword again in behalf
of liberty. lie entered the Continental Army
as II Lieutenant Colonel OF regiment that was
stationed ut RoXbury, and he was destined to
play an important part in the memorable siege
of Boston. After the battle of Charestown,
June IL, our troops were in an exposed condi-
tidn. There were no fortiflcatons to protect
the town, and II was decided that some kind of
defense should be commenced. An engineer
al
erection was looked for and none appeared. II
is one OF the many trials connected with the sit
uatiOn OF the Colonies that they were without
mon skilled in the science OF war. There were
no military schools in this country, and there
had been no great wars.
The strong character and fine natural abilities
OF Colonel Putnam had impressed themselves
upon his associates, and II was learned that he
had done some little work upon fortiications
under British engineers during the French and
Indian war and he was suggested as the man
for the emergency. He said that he had never
read work on fortifcatons, and that he was
not qualified 10 undertake the important work
that should be done; but 1t was no time for ex-
cuses, and, as he was known to be patriotic
man, the task was assigned him. He set TO work
and traced lines in front of RoXbury toward
Boston, and while he was engaged in this Gen
erals Washington and Lee examined the works
and expressed their cordial approval. General
Washington declared that Putnam's works were
much better constructed than those of the Brit
ish, that were erected by skilled engineers, on
the Cambridge side. He says in his memoir:
"In the course OF this campaign 1 surveyed and
delineated the courses distances and relative
situations of the enemy's works in Boston and
Charlestown with our own in Cambridge and
Roxbury." In the winter OF ls1G he performed
one OF the most memorable feats of the war.
The condition OF the Continental army was
deplorable. Men were without shelter food
or clothes, and 1t became necessary to force the
British 10 evacuate Boston. After much anx-
ious thought and careful examination IL was
determined, II possible, TO take possession OF
Dorchester Heights and erect fortifcations that
would command both city and harbor. The
British would then be compelled either TO fight
or go. 1t was dangerous and difficult, and the
night OF March was selected for the attempt
Colonel Putnam made his arrangements with
great exactness. Each man knew Just where